Middlemarch Quotes

While browsing Pinterest for photos for my Middlemarch (1994) review I found these lovely quotes from George Eliot's Middlemarch book. Several of these were quite thought provoking so I wanted to share them with you.

Which quote is your favorite?

Have you ever read Middlemarch?

Middlemarch (1994)

Back about 12 years or so I first watched Middlemarch (1994) with my family. I remember my parents enjoyed it but that it didn't end happily as happily as other period dramas we were starting to watch. I tried watching it about a year ago but got bored by the second episode. This time I had all day to just enjoy all of the episodes and watch it at my own pace. I quite enjoyed it, though there are moments of heartache, but overall it does end fairly well and there are lots of interesting characters!

Story: 19th century Great Britain. The Industrial Revolution brings both the promise and fear of change. In the provincial town of Middlemarch, the progressive Dorothea Brooke desperately seeks intellectual fulfillment in a male-dominated society and is driven into an unhappy marriage to the elderly scholar Casaubon. No sooner do they embark on their honeymoon than she meets and develops an instant connection with Casaubon's young cousin, Will Ladislaw. When idealistic Doctor Lydgate arrives, his new methods of medicine sweep him into the battle between conservatives and liberals in town. He quickly becomes enamored of the beautiful, privileged Rosamond Vincy, a woman whose troubles seem bound to destroy him.

Costumes: Very elegant and suits the Romantic era very well, but quite a few of the dresses are more plain than you'd expect. A lot of the costumes are in plain colors and have little print or embellishment. Accessories are often sparse but there are some pretty shawls and bonnets. Hairstyles are on the more simple side for the era too but are in keeping with the characters. Costumes are just on the plainer side when compared to other films of the period such as Wives & Daughters and Little Dorrit. A couple of the dresses do look familiar, for instance there is one pink dress Rosamund wears that Pet Meagles also wears in Little Dorrit.

Music: There is a very catchy theme song and some pretty theme music throughout. There are some lovely piano pieces played and Rufus Sewell even sings an Italian song with Rosie.

Scenes: Filmed on location in grand country houses, village streets and squares, rolling country sides and Italian architecture. The indoor scenes are sometimes darker but the quality of filming is good overall although a bit older looking.

Questionable Content: There are a few kissing and cuddling scenes between husband and wife but they don't get gross. It is clear that one couple's marriage is mostly based on physical attraction and another couple has little physical attraction. There is some drinking and smoking but nothing excessive. There are some tragedies that might not be appropriate for young kids and there's some mild cursing.

Actors & Characters: There are a lot of wonderfully talented actors in this miniseries. Below are some of my thoughts on the main characters and some more recognizable actors.

• Juliet Aubrey as Dorothea Brooke - Strong and sympathetic character, you cheer for her and cry for her. She is selfless, kind and always desires to be of help to those around her. She also loves to learn and improve herself. She is more or less the heroine of the story and she is played very well by the lovely and talented Ms. Aubrey. 
• Patrick Malahide as Reverend Edward Casaubon - A man of big dreams but afraid of criticism. His story is quite sad in the end and it is too bad that he does not reach out to Dorothea as she is reaching out to him.
• Rufus Sewell as Will Ladislaw - Reverend Casaubon's artistic nephew who doesn't see eye to eye with him and eventually gets disinherited. But he starts up a newspaper with Mr. Brooke as his beneficiary and helping Mr. Brooke with his political aspirations. Will and Dorothea become friends and through their talks we learn more about his interesting and slightly tragic history. I have a hard time deciding whether I like Will Ladislaw or not, he is fairly straightforward and kind but he also seems selfish and secretive sometimes. Either way he is played very well by well known actor Rufus Sewell.  
• Robert Hardy as Mr. Arthur Brooke - He is rather funny character in his mannerisms and he does seem to be in for modern changes but when he finally figures out what that entails and things are quite funny after that.
• Douglas Hodge as Dr. Tertius Lydgate - An intelligent and sensible physician and sort of a hero type in the story, but he is foolish in love. Similar to Mr. Bennet from Pride & Prejudice and Dr. Gibson from Wives & Daughters, he marries a beautiful young woman who brings him into debt and unhappiness. To his credit he never leaves her and is mostly patient through all her foolishness even though she speaks of leaving him. His priorities are not always straight but he is always practical and comes back to the right.
• Trevyn McDowell as Rosamund Vincy Lydgate - She is very pretty, talented and fun but we only like her because true hearted Tertius loves her so much. She is so foolish and vain and is the cause of her husband's financial ruin, a fact which she never seems remorseful for. I see her as a kind of Mrs. Bennet and it's sad to see that in the end she never loved her husband as much as he loves her. 
• Rachel Power as Mary Garth - She's so sensible and kind with great insight. We never really understand why she loves Fred Vincey but she has amazing wisdom in refusing him and not accepting his selfish and childlike behavior. She sees that he can be better and by sticking to her standards it makes him want to be better too and do something of his life. She is very wise and sweet.
• Jonathan Firth as Fred Vincy - A true wastrel who brings his family and friends into financial ruin with his careless gambling. He does have a kind and remorseful heart under all of that and his love for Mary helps him become a better man for her sake. 
• Caroline Harker as Celia Brooke Chettam - Dorothea's sister and Mr. Brooke's niece, she is pretty and fairly uninteresting. She marries well and tries to advise Dorothea in the ways of proper decorum and society. As a fun side note actress Caroline Harker is sister to Susannah Harker who played Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (1995)! 
• Julian Wadham as Sir James Chettam - A well known face in period dramas and fun to see here. His character is kind and honorable but at the same time boring and aristocratic.  
• Simon Chandler as Rev. Farebrother - Dr. Lydgate's friend who advises him well, gets caught up in the political mess of Middlemarch and has his own heartbreaks in love. He's a nice character although a little too progressive as a minister.
• Peter Jeffrey as Mr. Bulstrode & Rosemary Martin as Mrs. Bulstrode - A rather odd pair with a strong faith but some dark secrets. They are rather an odd pair and don't add that much to the story but are interesting none the less. 
• John Savident as Raffles - An old scoundrel who threatens blackmail on Mr. Bulstrode. It seems like I've seen this actor somewhere before but can't figure out where other than a few obscure roles in other BBC dramas. 
• Stephen Moore as Mayor Vincy & Jacqueline Tong as Mrs. Vincy - A rather stuck up pair but they explain why Fred and Rosamund have ended up having such a privileged attitude. But I do admire Mr. Vincy for trying to give Fred a good start.
• Clive Russell as Caleb Garth & Gabrielle Lloyd as Mrs. Garth - This pair is probably the happiest married couple in Middlemarch, very well matched and good parents. Along with their daughter Mary they are some of my favorite characters.
• Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs. Cadwallader - A very well known face in period drama and portraying the same gossipy meddling character that she does so well! 
• Pam Ferris as Mrs. Dollop - The character is a fairly trivial part but I mention her because it is almost surprising to me how many period dramas she pops up in!
• Judi Dench as voice of George Eliot - Her voice pops up towards the end as "the author" explains what happens to each of the characters in their lives after the story. Lovely to hear such a familiar voice!

My Thoughts: Middlemarch (1994) certainly is not the happy sweet romance story that you come to expect from period dramas, but it is not near as bad or boring as I had remembered. The characters do go through their share of heartache and trials, but most of them end comparatively happily and the evil characters are brought to justice. It is not as heart wrenching as George Eliot's other stories such as Daniel Deronda and Silas Marner, and I liked a few of the characters much more (though none compares to Daniel Deronda's goodness). Eliot's stories remind me of stories by Anthony Trollope and Robert Hardy such as Barchest Chronicles, He Knew He Was Right and The Mayor of Casterbridge. I did feel quite sorry for Dorothea that she was unable to do all the good that she had hoped, but she did end up with true love, which is one thing that she seriously lacked in her life. This is definitely not my favorite period drama but it is very well done and deserving of more attention than I had preciously given it. And we must remember that it was due to it's popularity that BBC went ahead with their next big miniseries Pride & Prejudice (1995)! As a side note I find it funny that Jonathan Firth was cast as a heartthrob in this film before his big brother Colin Firth would become the ultimate heartthrob Mr. Darcy!

Thoughts On Marriage: Middlemarch has a lot of ideas on marriage in Victorian England and shows this through several different types of problems in marriage such as a husband who does not let his wife be his equal, a couple close to financial ruin due to poor choices, a wife who meddles behind her husband's back and several couples who keep secrets from each other and miscommunicate. The moral of the story in my mind is to take a cue from Mary Garth stay unmarried until you are sure you found the right person. Also that communication and forgiveness are keys to a good marriage.

My Recommendation: I'd recommend Middlemarch (1994) to teens and adults who have enjoyed other period dramas such as Daniel Deronda (2002), Barchester Chronicles and Cranford. It's not that it has anything bad in it really but the slower pace and themes of marriage and politics make it better for older viewers.

Have you seen Middlemarch (1994)? What did you think of it?

Delicious Autumn!

Autumn, by George Henry Boughton. English-born American Painter, (1833-1905)

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." 

- George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

I am so glad Autumn is finally on it's way! I adore everything about this harvest season! The sights, colors, smells and tastes are delicious!

What is your favorite thing about autumn? 
Is autumn your favorite season or do you prefer a different time of year?

Silas Marner (1985)

I watched Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1985) just a few days ago on YouTube. I must confess that I knew very little about the George Eliot story before I watch this film. But I did my research and found that it was a clean film that sticks fairly close to the original novel. I also remembered my brother had read the book in high school (home school) and that he had enjoyed it for the most part. I was also interested in this particular film because it starred actor Ben Kingsley who I have enjoyed in other period dramas.



Synopsis: Silas Marner was a man who had everything - until he lost it all. Falsely accused of theft and driven out of his town, Silas starts life anew. His weaving is well received in the northern village and Silas gains a wealth of gold while remaining a mysterious recluse to his neighbors. One night his gold is stolen and he distrusts everyone until one day, upon arriving home, he discovers a foundling child asleep on the hearth. Could this young girl with the golden hair be the redemption to love and happiness that Silas has been looking for?

I was not at all disappointed by actor Ben Kingsley. I was surprised and delighted every time he opened his mouth. As Silas Marner he put his all into becoming the character, a gentle soul torn by a troubled life. The tenderness and extreme gentleness with which Silas raises little Eppie is such a lovely example of fatherhood. Mr. Kingsley's accent, manner and expressions are very well done and I wish the film was just a little bit longer if only to see more of his grand performance!

Actor Ben Kingsley's other period dramas include: Twelfth Night (1996) (as Feste, I adore him in this!), Tuck Everlasting (2002), Alice In Wonderland (1999), Oliver Twist (2005) (as Fagin, I'd love to see this!).

Other actor's performances were fairly good, there aren't a lot of other characters in the film/story. Here are some of the actors, their roles and other period films:

• Jenny Agutter as Nancy Lammeter - a young socialite who is engaged to marry Eppie's father. A sweet young lady who is devoted to her man! I've only seen Jenny is a few things but she is a delight to watch! Her other period dramas include: The Railway Children (1970), Marple: What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw, Poirot: Take At The Flood, Glorious 39.
• Jonathan Coy as Dunstan Cass - a cunning fellow, son of the local squire, who is usually in debt. He is the thief who steals Silas Marner's gold and comes to a tragic end. Knowing Mr. Coy from his role as John Thorpe in Northanger Abbey (1987) I am always surprised to see him turn up in other period dramas. The abundance of his other films include: Middlemarch (1994), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (2001), The Lost Prince, The Old Curiosity Shop (2007), Poirot: King of Clubs, Sherlock Holmes: Silver Blaze, Rumpole of the Bailey (TV series), as well as 1, 2, 3, 4 Horatio Hornblower films!
• Angela Pleasence as Molly - Eppie's unfortunate mother who is an opiate addict and a poor beggar woman. Although her character is short-lived she does a fine job at handling such a tragic role. I've seen Ms. Pleasence in several roles, my favorite being Lady Bertram in Mansfield Park (1983). Her other period films include: The Barchester Chronicles, A Christmas Carol (1984), Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna, Poirot: Appointment With Death, and Marple: Murder At The Vicarage.
• Jim Broadbent as Jem Rodney - a simple village man, one who is almost afraid of Silas Marner and helps fuel the rumor that he might be a possessed person. I was surprised and had to chuckle when I saw Mr. Broadbent. I've enjoyed his performance in many other period films including: The Young Visiters (my favorite!), The Young Victoria, Vanity Fair (2004), Widows' Peak, Nicholas Nickleby (2002), and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005).

Sets are simple and lighting is fairly poor because it is an older piece. Music, composed by Carl Davis (of Pride & Prejudice 1995 and Cranford fame), is very simple though there are a few lovely dances and folk tunes. Costumes are in simple earth tones but in keeping with the rural country life. The film runs only 92 minutes and and moves fairly quickly and definitely kept my interest. The first scene, where Silas Marner is falsely accused of theft, runs a bit oddly but make it past that and the film is full of interest.

The bond that forms between Silas and Eppie is truly beautiful and tender. Silas spoils his adopted daughter but far from being a brat Eppie grows up to be a young woman as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

I do recommend this film, especially for those who love period drama and films such as films like Under The Greenwood Tree, Nicholas Nickleby and David Copperfield.

I've made a video with photos and theme music from the film. Enjoy!

Very truly yours,

Biographies at Christmastime

So it's just two days before Christmas and I'm just taking a break from the baking, shopping and gift wrapping to enjoy some literary fun. The last few days I've been watching documentaries and biographies of English writers. I'm not sure I've really spent much time looking into the lives of the writers behind some of my favorite books (except for Jane Austen's life). It's interesting watching as they mix acting, paintings, video footage of England today and clips from film adaptations to tell the life stories of these famous authors.

Here's a bit about each one and where you can find them on YouTube.

The Real Jane Austen

Gillian Kearney as Jane Austen

Narrated by actor and great-grand-niece Anna Chancellor this is a lovely look at the short but fairly happy life of The Authoress. Lovely scenes of Steventon,
You will recognize: actors Jack Davenport and Lucy Cohu as Henry and Cassandra Austen and much archive footage of film adaptations. I really enjoy this documentary which you can watch here.


In Search of the Brontës

Victoria Hamilton, Alexandra Milman & Elizabeth Hurran as Charlotte, Anne & Emily

I knew a very little history about the Brontë Family so this was very enlightening and really a lovely piece. I enjoyed Patricia Routledge (a wonderful actress) narrating it and also how it followed the various family members from their early years till death. A very sad story actually of an extremely talented and brilliant family who had little success while they were alive.
You might recognize: actress Victoria Hamilton as strong willed Charlotte Brontë and Patrick Malahide as her kind father Reverend Brontë (as a side note these two were in Victoria & Albert together as well). I really appreciated how Reverend Brontë's faith is portrayed as a vital part of his life and the upbringing of his children. I highly recommend this documentary which you can watch here.


George Eliot: A Scandalous Life

Authoress Mary Ann Evans used the pen name George Eliot.

I'll say right up front that I had read a short biography of Ms. Evan's life and knew it was rather a wicked one. But any life that starts as a young woman denying the faith she grew up with and the truths her father preached cannot end well. True she did recieve some recognition in her lifetime but her years were marked by sin, lust, self doubt, and trouble at every turn. Her father and brother, bless their hearts, would not forgive her or condone her behavior while she lived in sin. Her bio is an interesting one and another example of how true life is woven into an author's works.
You may recognize: Harriet Walker as Mary Ann Evans also Barbara Leigh-Hunt, David Bamber and Janine Duvitski as a group of gossipers. I enjoy the film adaptations of Daniel Deronda, Middlemarch and Mill On The Floss and that's mostly why I watched this documentary. It's interesting and you can watch it here.

The Life of Charles Dickens

Actor Anton Lesser does an excellent job of portraying Charles Dickens.

It's only been in the past few months that I have learned about the life of Charles Dickens a bit. The more I learn about him the less I like him, but the more I watch and read of his work the more I like his books. It's very strange, perhaps because he was such a strange man. I had hoped that England's favorite story teller was a quiet family man, he was a man who loved his children but he was more possessed by his stories than interested in trying to love his wife and raise his children. He was a man of powerful character and passions and of odd habits. Perhaps these things come with the artistic temperament. This is a very long documentary narrated by biographer Peter Ackroyd who takes the viewer on a journey through Dicken's life and to places that were important to him.
You might recognize: Anton Lesser as Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Palmer as William Makepeace Thackeray, Miriam Margolyes as Mrs. Catherine Dickens, Jack Davenport as Charley Dickens, and Natasha Little as Ellen Ternan. If you're interested you can watch it here, it's a long three parts in 18 videos on YouTube.


These reminded me of two other biographies I had enjoyed a while ago both were extras on DVDs I bought.

The Two Loves of Anthony Trollope

Author Anthony Trollope

This came with The Anthony Trollope Collection and was a very interesting look at this postmaster turned author. Coming from humble beginings, Mr. Trollope was a very disciplined man who sat down to write at the same time each day and took inspiration from the people he met and places he visited. His other claim to fame is designing the red pillar letter boxes that can be seen on street corners even today in England. You might recognize: the voice of Stephan Fry narrating and Clive Merrison as Anthony Trollope (I really only knew his voice from radio and audio books). I couldn't find and YouTube videos of this sadly, because it was a very good biography.

Who The Dickens Is Mrs. Gaskell?

Drawing of Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell

This was done exclusively as a DVD feature and is on my copy of Wives & Daughters. It is really only a documentary and doesn't have any actor portrayals. It has quite a bit about the filming and the differences between Gaskell and other writers of her day. It does show several places she lived or visited and how her experiences and life figured into her writings. Very interesting.


Well, I'm off to eat Tim Tams with a cup of tea (I've been drinking a lot of tea lately) and watch Eloise At Christmastime with my sister and the rest of the family. It is Christmas Eve Eve after all! :)